Switch fabric having a serial communications interface and a parallel communications interface
First Claim
1. A switch fabric comprising:
- a serial communications interface for connecting a plurality of slave devices to a master device in parallel, the serial communications interface configured for transmitting information between the plurality of slave devices and the master device;
a parallel communications interface for separately connecting the plurality of slave devices to the master device, the parallel communications interface configured for simultaneously transmitting information between the plurality of slave devices and the master device, and transmitting information between individual ones of the plurality of slave devices; and
a support frame to facilitate interconnection of the plurality of slave devices and the master device, the support frame comprising a plurality of slots, each slot of the plurality of slots for receiving a respective one of the plurality of slave devices, wherein a slave device coupled with the support frame at a respective slot can identify itself to the master device using a unique identification, the unique identification including at least one of an identifier associated with the slave device or an identifier associated with the respective slot.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A switch fabric is disclosed that includes a serial communications interface and a parallel communications interface. The serial communications interface is configured for connecting a plurality of slave devices to a master device in parallel to transmit information between the plurality of slave devices and the master device, and the parallel communications interface is configured for separately connecting the plurality of slave devices to the master device to transmit information between the plurality of slave devices and the master device, and to transmit information between individual ones of the plurality of slave devices. The parallel communications interface may comprise a dedicated parallel communications channel for each one of the plurality of slave devices. The serial communications interface may comprise a multidrop bus, and the parallel communications interface may comprise a cross switch.
312 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A switch fabric comprising:
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a serial communications interface for connecting a plurality of slave devices to a master device in parallel, the serial communications interface configured for transmitting information between the plurality of slave devices and the master device; a parallel communications interface for separately connecting the plurality of slave devices to the master device, the parallel communications interface configured for simultaneously transmitting information between the plurality of slave devices and the master device, and transmitting information between individual ones of the plurality of slave devices; and a support frame to facilitate interconnection of the plurality of slave devices and the master device, the support frame comprising a plurality of slots, each slot of the plurality of slots for receiving a respective one of the plurality of slave devices, wherein a slave device coupled with the support frame at a respective slot can identify itself to the master device using a unique identification, the unique identification including at least one of an identifier associated with the slave device or an identifier associated with the respective slot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A process comprising:
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coupling a plurality of slave devices and a master device to a support frame in an industrial control system, the support frame comprising a plurality of slots, each slot of the plurality of slots for receiving a respective one of the plurality of slave devices; connecting the plurality of slave devices to the master device in parallel for transmitting information between the plurality of slave devices and the master device; and separately connecting the plurality of slave devices to the master device for simultaneously transmitting information between the plurality of slave devices and the master device, and transmitting information between individual ones of the plurality of slave devices, wherein a slave device coupled with the support frame at a respective slot can identify itself to the master device using a unique identification, the unique identification including at least, one of an identifier associated with the slave device or an identifier associated with the respective slot. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A switch assembly comprising:
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a multidrop bus for connecting a plurality of slave devices to a master device in parallel, the multidrop bus configured for transmitting information between the plurality of slave devices and the master device; a cross switch for separately connecting the plurality of slave devices to the master device, the cross switch configured for simultaneously transmitting information between the plurality of slave devices and the master device, and transmitting information between individual ones of the plurality of slave devices; and a support frame to facilitate interconnection of the plurality of slave devices and the master device, the support frame comprising a plurality of slots, each slot of the plurality of slots for receiving a respective one of the plurality of slave devices, wherein a slave device coupled with the support frame at a respective slot can identify itself to the master device using a unique identification associated with the respective slot, the unique identification including at least one of an identifier associated with the slave device or an identifier associated with the respective slot. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification